The present invention relates generally to manual filing systems of the type employing ring binders and, more particularly, to ring binder-based filing systems including enhanced prime storage areas for storing content or information records such as an index, table of contents, glossary, or the like. While the invention is described herein in the context of a ring binder handling letter-sized (81/2 by 11 inch) records, it will be appreciated that the principles of the invention are applicable to ring binders of other sizes, as well as to any book, however bound.
Ring binders have long been an important tool in the technology of manual filing systems. In any filing system, manual or computerized, speed of access is an important objective. Two problems in particular addressed by the present invention are the need to go quickly to the index of a file, and to then quickly access the indicated storage location, typically defined by a tabbed divider sheet.
One prime location in a ring binder (or any book) is the area viewed when the front cover has been opened. This one prime location is for convenience herein termed the "Home" or ".phi." location. The importance of the Home location stems from the fact that it is inherently the most accessible location in the binder. Typically, this prime location is employed to store content or information records. The term "information records" as employed herein is intended to mean, by way of example and not limitation, such records as an index, a table of contents, a glossary or any combination.
Corresponding to the prime storage area at the front of the binder is another prime storage area, inside the back cover. This other prime location is for convenience herein termed the "End" or "N" location, and may be viewed as the second most important location in a binder because its accessibility is surpassed only by the prime storage area at the front of the binder.
It is a common practice in various prior art proposals to utilize these two prime storage areas, but only in an incomplete and restricted way.
By way of example, in many prior art systems, the left side of the Home location (".phi. Left") and the right side of the End location ("N Right") either have been ignored as surfaces for displaying information, or else have been relegated to the secondary task of holding miscellaneous papers in a carrying pocket. In short, prior art systems have failed to fully exploit the Home and End locations, commonly using less than 50% of the total capacity of these prime storage areas.
Moreover, it will be appreciated that, the greater the file capacity, the greater is the need for index space. By way of example, it may be desired to include on the order of twenty-five tabbed dividers defining individual storage locations, each containing a number of content sheets. This means data concerning at least twenty-five items must be covered within the available index space, in addition to any specialized information such as a glossary. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need to utilize all of the potential space in the prime locations.
By way of possible explanation for the reason that prior art systems have failed to fully exploit the Home and End locations, it is believed that the conventional sheet lifter is one reason. Sheet lifters are semi-rigid plates, usually smaller than the content sheets, and are found in conventional ring binders for the purpose of guiding the motion of the content sheets, particularly as the covers are closed. Because of their opaqueness, sheet lifters block out portions of any underlying information record at the home right location. Moreover, the action of the sheet lifter sliding across the inside covers tends to damage any information sheet or sheets placed inside the covers.
Another deficiency of prior art system lies in the degree of accessibility to a prime storage area from a storage location within the file. For example, to get from a remote location (for example, at tab No. 25) back to the Home location, in a typical prior art system the user must grasp the first content sheet in the file, and pull all left-hand sheets to the right. This action is usually somewhat awkward, and also tends to damage the first information record.